Fagus sylvatica Beech, European beech, Common Beech PFAF Plant Database Physical Characteristics Fagus sylvatica is a deciduous Tree growing to 30 m (98ft) by 15 m (49ft) at a medium rate. It is hardy to zone (UK) 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from Apr to May, and the seeds ripen from Sep to October. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Wind.It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid and very alkaline soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure. It can tolerate atmospheric pollution. Synonyms Edible Uses: Coffee ; Oil . Young leaves - raw[183].

A very nice mild flavour, they go well in a mixed salad. However, the leaves quickly become tough so only the youngest should be used[2, 5, 12, K]. New growth is usually produced for 2 periods of 3 weeks each year, one in spring and one in mid-summer. Seed - raw or cooked[2, 5, 7, 63, 183]. A pleasant sweet flavour, though rather small and fiddly[K]. The seed can also be dried and ground into a powder and then used with cereal flours when making bread, cakes etc[12]. The seed is rich in oil. The seed should not be eaten in large quantities because it contains a deleterious principle[65, 238]. The seed contains 17 - 20% of an edible semi-drying oil[4, 7, 8, 57]. This stores well without going rancid and is said to be equal in delicacy to olive oil[183]. It is used as a dressing for salads and also for cooking[238]. The seed residue is poisonous[9, 57].

The roasted seed is used as a coffee substitute[2, 63]. Medicinal Uses Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally. Antacid ; Antipyretic ; Antiseptic ; Antitussive ; Bach ; Expectorant ; Odontalgic ; Skin . The bark is antacid, antipyretic, antiseptic, antitussive, expectorant, odontalgic[7, 9]. A tar (or creosote), obtained by dry distillation of the branches, is stimulating and antiseptic[4]. It is used internally as a stimulating expectorant and externally as an application to various skin diseases[4, 238]. The pure creosote has been used to give relief from toothache, but it should not be used without expert guidance[7]. The plant is used in Bach flower remedies - the keywords for prescribing it are 'Intolerance', 'Criticism' and 'Passing judgements'[209]. Other Uses Charcoal ; Fuel ; Hedge ; Hedge ; Oil ; Stuffing ; Teeth ; Wood .

A semi-drying oil is obtained from the seed, it is used as a fuel for lighting, as a lubricant, for polishing wood etc[12, 13, 46, 57, 63]. The seed residue is poisonous[9, 57]. The leaf buds harvested in the winter and dried on the twigs are used as toothpicks[66]. The leaves are gathered in autumn and used as a stuffing material for mattresses etc[115]. Wood - hard, heavy, strong, very durable[13, 46]. It is not suitable for outdoor use[1] and is often attacked by a small beetle[4]. It has a wide range of applications, including furniture, flooring, turnery etc[100]. It makes a very good fuel[6, 66], burning with a lot of heat[4], and yields a charcoal known as 'Carbo Ligni Pulveratus'[46]. The wood has often been used as a source of creosote, tar, methyl alcohol. acetic acid[123].

Cultivation details Landscape Uses:Firewood, Pest tolerant, Hedge, Aggressive surface roots possible, Screen, Specimen. Thrives on a light or medium soil, doing well on chalk, but ill-adapted for a heavy wet soil[1, 11]. Prefers a calcareous soil but succeeds in acid soils though it does not make such a fine tree in such a situation[186]. Succeeds in almost any soil and any pH, it is also very tolerant of a wide range of climatic conditions so long as there is sufficient rainfall[200]. Established trees are drought tolerant[186]. Very wind tolerant but dislikes salt[200]. Trees are shallow rooted and this might make them less wind resistant[186]. Trees have two growth periods a year, each of about 3 weeks in duration. The first is in spring around the end of April, the second is in summer, around the end of July. Trees are often slow growing and also can be very slow to establish after transplanting. However, in good conditions they are capable of growing up to a metre in a year.

Young trees are very shade tolerant, but are subject to frost damage to their flowers and young leaves and so are best grown in a woodland position which will protect them[200]. An important food plant for many caterpillars, it has 64 species of associated insects[24]. Trees have a heavy canopy and cast a dense shade, very few other species can grow in a dense beech wood and on suitable soils it becomes the dominant species[186]. Very intolerant of coppicing, trees producing none or only very weak growth afterwards and this is soon smothered by other plants[186]. Plants are very tolerant of light pruning however and if this is carried out in late summer the plants will retain their dead leaves over winter[29]. There are many named forms selected for their ornamental value. Those forms with purple leaves prefer a position in full sun whilst forms with yellow leaves prefer some shade[188]. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[200]. Special Features: Not North American native, All or parts of this plant are poisonous, Inconspicuous flowers or blooms.

Propagation Seed - the seed has a short viability and is best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Protect the seed from mice. Germination takes place in the spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. The seedlings are slow growing for the first few years and are very susceptible to damage by late frosts. The seed can also be sown in an outdoor seedbed in the autumn[186]. The seedlings can be left in the open ground for three years before transplanting, but do best if put into their final positions as soon as possible and given some protection from spring frosts. Other Names Found In Weed Potential Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : Related Plants Beech (Fagus sylvatica) - British trees - Woodland Trust Leaves become darker green and lose their hairs as they mature (Photo: A Cleave/WTML) The leaves are oval and pointed at the tip, with a wavy edge (Photo: P Sterry/WTML) Both male and female flowers grow on the same tree, in April and May (Photo: P Sterry/WTML) The cup which surrounds the flowers becomes woody once pollinated (Photo: P Sterry/WTML) The woody cups enclose one or two beech nuts (Photo: P Sterry/WTML) The reddish brown, torpedo-shaped leaf buds form on short stalks (Photo: P Sterry/WTML) The bark is smooth, thin and grey, often with slight horizontal etchings (P Sterry/WTML) Mature trees grow to a height of more than 40m, and develop a huge domed crown (Photo: R Read/WTML) Common beech is a large, deciduous tree, native to southern England and South Wales.

Common name: common beech, European beech Scientific name: Fagus sylvatica Family: Fagaceae UK provenance: native Interesting fact: beech can live for hundreds of years with coppiced stands living for more than 1,000 years. What does beech look like? Overview: mature trees grow to a height of more than 40m and develop a huge domed crown. The bark is smooth, thin and grey, often with slight horizontal etchings. The reddish brown, torpedo-shaped leaf buds form on short stalks, and have a distinctive criss-cross pattern. Leaves: young leaves are lime green with silky hairs, which become darker green and lose their hairs as they mature. They are 4–9cm long, stalked, oval and pointed at the tip, with a wavy edge. Flowers: beech is monoecious, meaning both male and female flowers grow on the same tree, in April and May. The tassel-like male catkins hang from long stalks at the end of twigs, while female flowers grow in pairs, surrounded by a cup.

Fruits: the cup becomes woody once pollinated, and encloses one or two beech nuts (known as beechmast). Beech is wind pollinated. Look out for: the edges of the leaves are hairy. Triangular beech nuts form in prickly four lobed seed cases. Could be confused with: hornbeam (Carpinus betulus). Beech leaves have wavy edges with small hairs as opposed to the serrated margins of hornbeam. Identified in winter by: leaf buds are distinctively, sharply pointed and not pressed against the twigs. Where to find beech Its natural habitat extends over a large part of Eurpoe from southern Sweden to northern Sicily. It requires a humid atmosphere and well-drained soil. It can be sensitive to winter frost. It usually grows on drier, free-draining soils, such as chalk, limestone and light loams. Beech woodland is shady and is characterised by a dense carpet of fallen leaves and mast husks, which prevent most woodland plants from growing. Only specialist shade tolerant plants can survive beneath a beech canopy.

Value to wildlife Due to its dense canopy, rarer plant species are associated with beech woodland, such as box, coralroot bitter-cress, and a variety of orchids including red helleborine. Beech woodland makes an important habitat for many butterflies, particularly in open glades and along woodland rides. Beech foliage is eaten by the caterpillars of a number of moths, including the barred hook-tip, clay triple-lines and olive crescent. The seeds are eaten by mice, voles, squirrels and birds. Native truffle fungi grow in beech woods. These fungi are ectomycorrhizal, which means they help the host tree obtain nutrients in exchange for some of the sugar the tree produces through photosynthesis. Remember to take expert advice before picking or eating any wild fungi. Because beech trees live for so long they provide habitats for many deadwood specialists such as hole-nesting birds and wood-boring insects. The bark is often home to a variety of fungi, mosses and lichens. Mythology and symbolism Beech is associated with femininity and is often considered the queen of British trees, where oak is the king. In Celtic mythology, Fagus was the god of beech trees.

It was thought to have medicinal properties – beech leaves were used to relieve swellings, and boiling the leaves could make a poultice. Forked beech twigs are also traditionally used for divining. How we use beech Beech timber is used for a variety of purposes, including fuel, furniture, cooking utensils, tool handles and sports equipment. The wood burns well and was traditionally used to smoke herring. The edible nuts, or masts, were once used to feed pigs, and in France they are still sometimes roasted and used as a coffee substitute. Beech makes a popular hedging plant. If clipped it doesn't shed its leaves, and provides a year-round dense screen, which provides a great habitat for garden birds. Threats Beech trees are sometimes susceptible to root rot from a variety of fungal pathogens, including Phytophthora. Some trees can suffer from beech bark disease, caused by a combination of a sap-sucking scale insect, Cryptococcus fagisuga and canker fungus, Nectria coccinea. Severe infestations can kill affected trees. It is also very vulnerable to bark stripping by grey squirrels. Trees need your help...

will buy and install a bat or bird box to support woodland wildlife. Every £30 you give will pay for brambles to be cut back encouraging wildflowers to grow. Every £50 you give will pay for the land, planting and care of five oak saplings. Want to donatea different amount? Whatever you choose to give, your donation will help us protect woodland and wildlife. Trees need your help... ENH403/ST244: Fagus sylvatica: European Beech Fagus sylvatica: European Beech 1 Edward F. Gilman and Dennis G. Watson 2 Introduction European Beech grows into a wide oval, 80 to 100 feet tall and spreads 50 to 70 feet. Branches normally sweep the ground in a graceful fashion. The tree grows slowly, is hard to transplant and prefers a sunny location and a moist, light soil. Though not a street tree, the tree makes one of the finest specimens of all those available in North America for large scale landscapes. European Beech is somewhat tolerant of heat and dry soil, but it is best to locate it where it would receive adequate moisture.

The cultivars `Pendula' and `Fastigiata' are more available than the species and very attractive. Figure 1.

Young Fagus sylvatica: European Beech [Click thumbnail to enlarge.] Pest resistance: resistant to pests/diseases Use and Management European Beech has given rise to many cultivars: `Albo-variegata' - leaves margined white; `Asplenifolia' - cut leaves; `Atropunica' - leaves purple; `Cochleata' - smaller, spoon-shaped leaves; `Cuprea' - leaves copper colored; `Dawycki' - upright growth habit; `Fastigiata' - upright growth habit; `Laciniata' - leaves cut, wider more regularly-shaped than `Asplenifolia'; `Macrophylla' - larger leaves; `Miltonensis' - leader erect, main branches horizontal, side branches pendulous; `Pendula' - weeping habit; `Purpurea Pendula' - weeping with purple leaves; `Quercifolia' - slow growing, leaves oak-like; `Riversii' - young foliage reddish then purple; `Rohanii' - similar to `Laciniata'; `Roseo-marginata' - purple leaves with light pink border, grow in shade to prevent leaf burn, not easily grown; `

Rotundifolia' - leaves round; `Spaethiana' - leaves purple; `Tortuosa' - low, spreading, umbrella-like; `Tricolor' - leaves green and white with pink margins; `Zlatia' - leaves golden in spring.

Pests Usually none are serious. Aphid colonies on the lower branches can be dislodged with a strong stream of water from the garden hose. Colonies are often disposed of by predatory insects. Borers such as flat-headed appletree borer or two-lined chestnut borer bore into trees weakened by some stress. Prevent the insect infestations by keeping trees healthy with regular fertilization and irrigation in dry weather. Regular inspections of the trunk and branches are suggested for early detection of scales. Horticultural oil sprays will help control scales. Certain caterpillars can be controlled with sprays of Bacillus thuringiensis . Diseases Usually none are serious provided soil is loose and is well-drained. Several fungi cause leaf spots but are generally not serious to warrant chemical control. Powdery mildew causes a white coating on the leaves. The disease is most common late in the season. Bleeding canker forms cankers from which a brownish liquid oozes. Crown symptoms include leaves of smaller size and lighter green color than normal. In severe cases the leaves wilt and the branches die. Avoid feeding with high nitrogen fertilizers as it seems to worsen the condition of infected trees.

Beech bark disease occurs when the feeding site of woolly Beech scale is invaded by a fungus. The fungus kills the bark and in the process, the insects. There are no satisfactory controls for the fungus. Control the disease by controlling the scale with a horticultural oil. Cankers infect, girdle, and kill branches. Prune out the infected branches. During periods of high temperatures and low rainfall Beech leaves may scorch. Make sure trees are adequately watered. Footnotes 1. This document is ENH403, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date November 1993. Revised December 2006. Reviewed February 2014. Visit the EDIS website at . 2. Edward F. Gilman, professor, Environmental Horticulture Department; Dennis G. Watson, former associate professor, Agricultural Engineering Department, UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other UF/IFAS Extension publications, contact your county's UF/IFAS Extension office. U.S. Department of Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A & M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension. Plant Database Plant Database tree has been in cultivation for a long time Habit and Form trunk is short and branches generally touch ground 50' to 60' tall and up to 50' wide slow growth rate simple leaves with wavy entire margins leaves are 2" to 4" long and approx.

2" wide glossy dark green leaf color, usually has a reddish tint 5 to 9 vein pairs Autumn Foliage reddish bronze leaf color in fall very attractive leaves tend to persist through winter Flowers usually flowers in April or Early May not ornamentally important nut is enclosed in a spiky involucre 4-lobed involucre usually contains 2 nuts found singly on erect pedicels Bark stems are olive-brown in color Culture does not like excessively wet soils full sun best prune in early summer or early fall Landscape Use grass tends not to grow under tree does not like wet soils tends to sucker fruit can be a litter problem few minor pest problems including: powdery mildew, aphids, canker, and beech bark disease ID Features dead leaves persist on tree through winter tree is very wide and branches generally touch ground alternate leaf arrangement three-winged fruit in a 4-lobed spiky involucre long pointed buds 5 to 9 vein pairs Propagation by cuttings Cultivars/Varieties 'Asplenifolia' (confused with and roughly similar to 'Laciniata') - This is a very common cultivar that bears cut leaves that are so fine as to appear fern-like (

as with Asplenium, a fern genus).

The leaves are lustrous green and may develop good yellow fall color. The habit is large and rounded. 'Dawyck' (also listed as 'Dawyckii' and 'Fastigiata') - This form originates from a tree found in Scotland. It is a fastigiate form with narrow form and upright branches, to 80' tall and perhaps 15' wide. The leaves are green on this selection. 'Dawyck Gold' and 'Dawyck Purple' - These two selections originate from 'Dawyck', but bear leaves that are yellow and purple, respectively. 'Pendula' (also known as f. pendula) - A cultivar that can differ markedly in appearance from specimen to specimen, 'Pendula' has weeping branches that may fall harshly or droop after extending outwards horizontally. Each individual tree is unique, and green leaves clothe specimens that can reach 50' tall and wider. 'Purple Fountain' and 'Purpurea Pendula' - These cultivars are weeping forms with purple leaves. They bear upright trunks with branches that hang gracefully. Among the slowest-growing forms, they are typically much more narrow than tall.

'Riversii', 'Rohanii' and 'Spaethiana' (also listed as 'Spathiana') - This trio represents the most common forms of standard F. sylvatica with deep-purple leaves (often known as Copper Beech). The color can be deep-purple to approaching black in spring and early summer, but it may fade slightly as the season progresses. The habit is rounded and the plant may grow to 50' tall and wide. These are very popular forms. 'Roseomarginata' (also listed as 'Tricolor' and 'Purpurea Tricolor') - This eye-catching selection is the most common variegated form of European beech. The leaves are purple with a wide margin of pink or cream, and the foliage is brightest in spring. By late summer, the lighter portions of the leaves may burn -- thus the plant appreciates some shade. It is a slower grower, reaching 30' tall in time. 'Tortuosa' (also listed as f. tortuosa) - This unusual form features contorted trunk and branches, giving the plant the look of a large weather-beaten bonsai. The leaves are green and not twisted.

At maturity, the plant forms a large rounded mound of foliage to 15' tall. © Copyright Mark H. Brand, 1997-2015. The digital materials (images and text) available from the UConn Plant Database are protected by copyright. Public use via the Internet for non-profit and educational purposes is permitted. Use of the materials for profit is prohibited. Citation and Acknowledgements: University of Connecticut Plant Database, , Mark H. Brand, Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, Storrs, CT 06269-4067 USA. A Modern Herbal | Beech Fagus sylvatica Click on graphic for larger image ---History--- The common name of the Beech tree, found in varying forms throughout the Teutonic dialects, means, with difference of gender, either 'a book' or 'a beech,' the Runic tablets, or early books, having been made of this wood. Fagus is from a Greek word meaning 'to eat,' referring to the edible character of the Beechmast. The Beech is one of the largest British trees, especially on chalky and sandy soil.

In England it may grow to 140 feet in height, or spread to 130 feet in diameter, with a trunk 21 feet in girth. As the wood is brittle and short-grained, it is not well suited for purposes where strength and durability are required. One of the principal objections to it is that it is liable to be perforated by a small beetle. Its chief uses are for panels for carriages, carpenter's planes, stonemason's mallets wooden bowls, granary shovels, boot-lasts, sabots, and for chair-making, small articles in turnery, also for making charcoal for colour manufacturers, and gunpowder. On the Continent Beech is used for parquet flooring, wood pavement and bentwood furniture, and very extensively as fuel for domestic heating, as its heating power surpasses that of most other timber. Owing to the capacity of its root system for assisting in the circulation of air throughout the soil, and by the amount of potash in the leaves, Beech trees conserve the productive capacity of the soil better than any other kind of tree, and improve the growth of other trees when planted with them.

Fences of young Beech trees may be employed with advantage in flower gardens, as their leaves generally remain on the branches during the winter and screen the young plants . The nuts of Beech, called 'mast,' are chiefly used in England as food for park deer. In other countries they are valued for feeding farm animals: in France for feeding swine and fattening domestic poultry, especially turkeys, and pigs which are turned into Beech woods to utilize the fallen mast. Beech mast has even been used as human food in time of distress or famine. Horses, however, should not be fed on it. Well-ripened mast yields from 17 to 20 per cent. of a non-drying oil - similar to hazel and Cotton-seed oils - and is used in European countries for cooking, as well as for burning, and in Silesia as a substitute for butter. The cake left when the oil has been pressed out may be used as a cattle food. During the War an attempt was made in Germany to use Beech leaves as a substitute for tobacco, and a mixture was served to the army, but proved a failure.

[ Top ] ---Constituents--- The wood ash of the Beech affords a large proportion of potash. The oil of the nuts occupies a position in the fixed oils between the vegetable non-drying and the true drying oils. Like the Cotton-seed oils, it forms more or less elaidin on treatment with nitrous acid or mercuric nitrate, but does not become wholly solidified. Beech tar is completely soluble in 95 per cent. acetic acid. Turpentine oil, chloroform and absolute ether do not entirely dissolve it. The petroleum ether is not coloured by copper acetate solution. Choline is present in the seeds. ---Medicinal Uses--- The tar is stimulating and antiseptic, used internally as a stimulating expectorant in chronic bronchitis, or externally as an application in various skin diseases. The oil is used in the same ways as the other fixed oils of its class.

---Other Species--- BEECH DROPS (OROBANCHE VIRGINIANA,EPIFAGUS VIRGINIANA, BROOM RAPE, CANCER ROOT), a parasite on Beech tree roots, has a bitter, nauseous, astringent taste, diminished by drying. It is given internally in bowel affections, and is reputed to cure cancer, though this is doubtful As a local application to wounds or ulcers it will arrest gangrene. It appears to act upon the capillary system like the tincture of muriate of iron. ALBANY BEECH DROPS (Pterospora Andromeda) is a rare plant of North America valuable as a sedative diaphoretic in typhus, pleurisy and erysipelas COPPER-BEECH (F. sylvatica var. purpurea). The leaves of this species may be used like those of the Red-leaved Hazel for the extraction of anthocyan pigment. Fagus sylvatica (copper beech) | Plants & Fungi At Kew Fagus sylvatica (copper beech) Copper beech trees can be propagated by grafting to maintain the colour of the leaves.

Copper beech (Fagus sylvatica 'Atropunicea') at Kew Gardens Species information copper beech (synonym: Fagus sylvatica 'Purpurea') Conservation status: IUCN status of Least Concern (LC) Habitat: Woodland, often on chalky soil. Known hazards: Genus: Fagus About this species Copper beeches first appeared as mutants independently in different parts of Europe and were already known in Germany before 1488. Today this tree is planted extensively in parks and gardens, and whilst admired by some, others find the copper beech's dark purple leaves an unattractive and depressing addition to the landscape. Synonym: Fagus sylvatica is found throughout Europe, to the Caucasus. Description Spiky cases protect the fruits The copper beech is a large tree that often grows on chalky soil. The inconspicuous flowers are pollinated by the wind and the fruits are three-sided nuts (called beech mast) inside spiky cases (see image, right). The size and shape of Fagus sylvatica depends on its environment.

Given space, the beech will spread its branches widely and can grow up to a massive 42 m (140 ft) high. In tightly packed woods, the tree will grow straight, with few side branches, to reach the light. This becomes an even greater priority with time. The arrangement of leaves is such that they overlap, which, while efficient for the tree, shades the ground beneath and can also prevent rain from reaching it. So if the floor of the English wood you're walking through comprises little more than fungi and rotting leaves, it's probably a beech wood. Copper beech trees are quite variable in leaf colour as they are normally propagated by seed. Particularly dark clones have been selected over the years and those are grafted to maintain the true colour. The best-known are 'Cuprea', 'Nigra', 'Riversii' and 'Spaethiana'. Uses A copper beech at Kew Beech, like hazel, has been used for centuries for its wood, specifically in making furniture.

The Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire are home to large areas of beech woodlands and in the past, chairmakers, also known as 'bodgers', actually worked in the woods themselves. In 1887 a group of sport-minded furniture makers from High Wycombe, then the centre of the industry, founded Wycombe Wanderers Football Club. To this day, the team's nickname is 'The Chairboys'. Beech timber is ideal for chairs as it bends without breaking, has a fine grain and is relatively free of knots. Beech has a history of being pollarded. Pollarding is the practice of removing all the branches to stimulate the growth of new, smaller shoots. At Burnham Beeches, for example, beeches were historically pollarded as a source of fuelwood, amongst other uses. Beech tends not to be used for building as it decays quickly without protection and is not strong enough to bear any great weight. In addition to the utility of its timber, beech also provides nourishment for wildlife in the form of nuts, also known as beech mast. A bumper crop of these nuts is produced every four to five years when badgers, squirrels and many birds feast on them.

Although edible they are rarely eaten by humans. Very young leaves are also edible. Cultivation The beech is easily cultivated, though slow-growing at first. It needs a lot of room as it can get very large. The tree is shallow-rooted so it is best to choose a sheltered spot to avoid it being blown over. The bark is very sensitive to sunlight and old trunks that suddenly become exposed to the sun (for example by the felling of surrounding trees or raising of the canopy) will get sunburn, which may cause the tree to die. Leaves of Fagus sylvatica in autumn At Kew, beeches are propagated by grafting in order to retain genetic material from important old trees in the gardens, or to grow cultivars such as copper beeches. Root stocks for grafting are grown in the Arboretum Nursery by sowing seed. The seed is not viable for long and so needs to be sown as soon as it is ripe. If sown in the autumn it will germinate the following spring.

The seed is either sown directly into the nursery field (with wire mesh protection from mice and squirrels) or into 12-litre pots, kept frost-free under glass, with plenty of natural light. Tony Hall, who manages this collection, says that when the seedlings emerge they look like miniature forests, but that this is the ideal way to create root stock material. Grafting is done in January with the unions warmed by a hot pipe system. The pipe temperature is kept at around 21˚C whilst the rootstock below is kept cooler at around 5 to 10˚C. The buds are sprayed once a day to keep them moist. Using this method it takes about two to three weeks for the union to form a callus. After this the new plants are grown on in their pots for a season, and then transplanted into the nursery field for growing on. Although rarely used, cuttings from newly emerged shoots can be easily rooted under mist. Mature trees generally do well in the Gardens as they like Kew’s sandy soil. However, beeches benefit from summer rainfall and like moisture and high humidity, so in recent years they have been showing signs of stress.

References and credits Fagus sylvatica Fagus sylvatica Form large shade tree maturing at about 60' tall by 40' wide, although it can become much larger under favorable conditions upright oval growth habit (for the species form, and many of the cultivars) slow growth rate (becoming a medium growth rate by middle age) Culture full sun to partial sun (tolerant of partial shade to full shade in youth) performs best in deep, rich, evenly moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soils, but is tolerant (although not especially happy) of neutral to alkaline pH soils, average soils, compacted soils, heat, and drought (once established) species form is propagated by seeds, while the cultivars are usually propagated by grafting onto seedling rootstock Beech Family, with few disease or pest problems of significance; European Beech adapts much better than American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) to moderate urban stresses, but still struggles with urban stresses (heat, drought, poor soils, and soil compaction), performing best in areas with cool Summers and good, moist soils abundantly available in ball and burlap form, including many cultivars many specimens are allowed to branch low to the ground

, due to their exquisite foliage and graceful horizontal to upswept branching European Beech is somewhat sensitive to being transplanted in Autumn, and care should be taken to amend the soil, fertilize, water thoroughly, mulch adequately, and avoid Winter salt spray, to enhance survival chances during the first Winter Foliage the species form and several cultivars are medium to dark green and shiny, but several foliage-color variants exist (mostly purple or variegated) alternate, ovate to elliptical, entire to crenate along the margins, often with an undulating margin, and short-petioled; some cultivars are cutleaf or deeply crenate fall color for the species form is chartreuse, golden, or yellow-brown Flowers separate staminate (male) and pistillate (female) inflorescences occur on the same tree (monoecious), flowering in late April and early May, ornamentally insignificant and partially obscured by the expanding foliage Fruits three-sided pointed nuts, with one to three nuts per fruit, are exposed as the external bristly husk splits open in September and October nuts are quickly devoured by squirrels and larger birds Twigs somewhat thin olive-brown twigs, with prominently long,

 pointed, tan Winter buds twigs and branchlets often lie more or less within the plane of the branch, for an overall layered branching effect, with the horizontal lower branches having upswept twigs and buds at their extremities Trunk usually single-trunked, with the bark being very thin and smooth, medium to light gray, and quite ornamental in Winter (especially if limbed up in youth to yield a scarless smooth trunk) the straight trunk of the species form eventually loses its central leader to several upright branches in the upper one-half of the mature canopy trunk exhibits a graceful basal flare with age to the shallow root system ID Summary a species with several cultivars exhibiting variation in growth habit (upright oval versus columnar versus pendulous) and foliage color (green versus purple versus variegated) in general, foliage is alternate, ovate, wavy-margined, and entire or subtley crenate, on short petioles trunks (with basal flare to the shallow root system) have smooth, gray, ornamental bark, while Winter buds are tan and very elongated, on stems that lie within the plane of the branch, for layered branching small, husky and prickly fruits dehisce in Autumn to reveal small,

 three-sided, pointed nuts that are consumed by wildlife Function specimen, shade, focal point, or wildlife attraction tree although rarely seen, this tree can be planted in a row and pruned into tall hedge form, being especially attractive if one of the purple-leaved cultivars is used Texture medium-textured in foliage and fine-textured when bare thick density in foliage and when bare (except in youth, when the branching is sparse, very open, and often asymmetrical) Assets many cultivars are available for alternative foliage color, weeping or columnar habit, or cutleaf character graceful or architecturally interesting branching, depending upon cultivar smooth medium-gray ornamental bark nuts attract wildlife in Autumn dense shade at maturity often awkwardly and sparsely branched when very young turf may die out under the dense shade of mature trees not especially urban tolerant SELECTIONS Alternates large shade or specimen trees with alternative broadleaf foliage colors (Acer platanoides 'Crimson King', 'Crimson Sentry', 'Drummondi', etc., Liriodendron tulipifera 'Aureo-marginatum' or 'Majestic Beauty'; other species of trees exist with this trait, but they are often weakly growing) Variants many more

 cultivars exist than are listed below, some of which combine two or more ornamental traits (for example, weeping purple-foliaged forms, fastigiate golden-foliaged forms, and dwarf weeping purple-foliaged forms all exist, but are not listed) Fagus sylvatica 'Asplenifolia' - Fernleaf European Beech - deeply incised, almost fern-like cutleaf foliage, yielding a very fine-textured specimen tree, definitely underutilized in modern landscapes Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyckii' - Dawyck European Beech - a twisting columnar to fastigiate form, yielding an extremely narrow upright focal point, to 80' tall by 10' wide Fagus sylvatica 'Pendula' - Weeping European Beech - quickly losing its central leader, the branches continuously arch or hang downward to yield a spreading and pendulous specimen whose branch tips may reach all the way to the ground Fagus sylvatica 'Riversii' - Rivers European Beech - representative of the dark purpleleaf forms, holding this color for most of the Summer, but eventually becoming dark bronzed Fagus sylvatica 'Tricolor' - Tricolor European Beech - varieg

ated foliage emerges very dark bronzed with a lavender margin, then turns to dark green with a pink margin during the Summer, maturing to light gray-green with a cream margin in early Autumn, and finally becoming somewhat golden in fall color; also known as Roseo-marginata' or 'Purpurea Tricolor'

Question: What is the common name of Fagus sylvatica?
Answer: THE BEECH (tree)